Shipbucket

Union of the Batavian Republics Marine Corps

The "Harrier Carrier" challenge came around at a fortunate time, as I had been toying with the idea of airborne amphibious assault recently and wanted to explore and solidify the concept further. The idea of combining naval, air and land forces in one or a few platforms is both intriguing and revelating, and I've attempted to take this concept to an advanced degree. The setting for this scenario is a speculative AU based on the developments done in Monarchia, a collaborative AU led by rundrewrun. My target years are the decades between 1965 and 1985, and all of the content here will potentially be retconned as the AU catches up. Nevertheless, I'd like to invite you to enjoy and comment on what I've drawn here and the concepts behind them, mostly taken from reading Friedman's Amphibs.

The Marinejagerkorps in 1971:

The Marinejagerkorps is the naval infantry branch of the Batavian Navy, an expeditionary force tasked with intervention in foreign territory and amphibious assault of enemy coasts. It consists of nine Amphibious Legionnary Regiments raised from different regions of the Union of Batavian Republics, and are formed from three Amphibious Legionnary Battalions during peacetime, and supporting units attached to the Battalion or Regiment. A single Amphibious Legionnary Battalion can theoretically be lifted by a single Kaapstad-class APV, but is more commonly transported by a Legionnary Amphibious Group composed of the APV and an Amphibious Platform Dock and either an Amphibious Landing Dock or two fast Landing Ship Tank, paired with a Marine Air Group and a Logistics Company, subdued to the HQ Company. A Regiment can be lifted by Amphibious Task Force, usually composed of three or more LPV, four or more Amphibious Docks, and three or more Landing Ship Tank, escorted by a Guided Missile Cruiser, two Guided Missile Destroyers, three or more Frigates and two Attack Submarines. These Task Forces rarely drift away from the aegis of a Carrier Task Force centered around an Attack Carrier.

Mechanization of the Marinejagerkorps began in 1967 with the adoption of the PVV(R) amphibious armoured vehicle, which opened the possibility of a completely airborne assault including mechanized elements. This did not turn out in practice, and one Company of every Battalion kept using the larger AVRP m/1970 adopted in 1970, which was not airmobile. By this period, however, the basic combat element of the Marinejagerkorps became the mechanized Jager section, carried on board the Frank APC.



The Jager section consists of a rifle element centered around the Gg m/48-66 recoilless rifle, and the gun element, centered around the Ag m/28-37 automatic rifle. Each element consists of four soldiers and is led by a Hoofdkorporaal for the rifle element, and a Korporaal leads the gun element. Individual infantrymen split the burden of carrying recoilless rifle rounds and automatic rifle magazines. The Section Commander, 2IC and assistants are armed with standard Zk m/64 rifles, whereas the Recoilles Rifle operator is given an Ap m/38-51 submachine gun, the designated marksman is issued a vintage Zg m/40 Scherpschuter rifle with scope, and the Automatic Rifle operator is issued a Zp m/70 pistol as a backup. The fourth rifleman of the first element and the section 2IC carry rifle grenades, usually one fragmentation and one anti-vehicle warheads. The Frank is crewed by two, a Sergeant der 1e klasse in command and a Jager in the driver position, but these fall under the command of the Company HQ, led by a Kapitein.

Three Sections plus a HQ Section make up the Platoon, for a total of 31 soldiers without counting the APC crews, and a total of four APCs while mounted. The Platoon HQ Consists of a 2nd Lieutenant, which is issued with either an Ap m/38-51 submachine gun or more rarely a Zk m/64-68 carbine, a Zp m/70 pistol and smoke grenades. Second in rank is the Platoon Sergeant, 1st class Sergeant in rank, who carries more smoke grenades and rifle grenades, and is armed with the standard Zk m/64 rifle. The radioman never strays far from the 2nd Lieutenant, and is equipped with a portable radio, and armed with an Ap m/38-51 SMG and fragmentation grenades so as to not burden him excessively. The Platoon HQ also counts with two Mt m/36-60 infantry mortars to give the unit additional punch, they are served by a Corporal and his assistant Jager. The Mortarman No.1 carries two bombs and is armed with an SMG or more rarely a carbine, like in this case. The assistant is armed with a full size rifle and carries four additional bombs.



This section fits neatly into their standard APC without making it too cramped, save for the radio aerial catching into the Frank's roof, and maintains the mobility of the whole Platoon both on foot and mounted.

The equipment issued to each infantryman is detailed below, and shows all unspecialized equipment that any Jager can use, though not all of it is carried at the same time. It shows a typical Jager on patrol.




I'll be updating with more charts as I get more things done, tell me what you think.

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w o r k l i s t :
Hatsuyuki-class Escort Ships . . . <3

what scales is this? looks really good

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Shipbucket mainsite, aka "The Archive"
New AU project "Aravala"

Great work!! but why a colored background, instead of a white one?

Excellent!

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The scale is 1 px = 1.5 cm, the background is coloured because I figured that a light greyish background combined with the drop shadow feature makes figures and vehicles pop out and look really good. Contrast it with this chart of weapons with a flat white background. Which do you like better?

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w o r k l i s t :
Hatsuyuki-class Escort Ships . . . <3

yes, it's clearer for me. my opinion, of course

Thank you.

Platoon HQ done, added to the first post.



I'll keep rolling with the template for now, but I am still in the process of solidifying the style for this scale.

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w o r k l i s t :
Hatsuyuki-class Escort Ships . . . <3

Nice scale, Char! Please, if is feasible, can you put the scale ruler? It will be very helpful. Thanks.